


The Forgotten Garden

by avgust



Series: Through the Ages [5]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-15 21:53:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9258842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avgust/pseuds/avgust
Summary: A short story regarding Celebrian's and Elrond's lives within a garden settingThis is just a short story I wrote regarding a garden setting I had described in the story The Dance on Water. I mused a little on the back story of the setting and came up with this during my lunch hour.This is a stand alone short story with the Through the Ages series.





	

He was a herald to the High-King when first his eyes had seen her beauty. She towered as a silver beech tree, eyes as green as the deepest of leaves, face as fair as any delicate flower, more beautiful than anything he had ever gazed on. Elrond was introduced to her, the Lord Celeborn's and Lady Galadriel's only daughter, the Lady Celebrian. An instant attraction stirred within him as never before, as a fragrant breeze that rustles up the leaves in the forest.

The Lords and Ladies departed, leaving just the two of them alone. And alone in silence they gazed at one another. Celebrian, a gentle sole who loved her forest home, sensed his distress, biding him to join her in a garden. She led him there with her smile, soft rose petal lips glistened beside him as if the very nectar of the flowers had settled deep within them.

Celebrian's garden was secluded, a hidden clearing in the forest, where the sunlight could touch the gentle grass below and her plants could reach their branches to the heavens. Roses bloomed in whites and yellows, ferns bordered the boundaries, a pond full of fish swam in the calm waters, and the gentle daisies blossomed in the forest breezes. Carved stone statues of the forest's very spirit were placed in a circular design, and stone benches were placed around the paths in the garden.

Elrond noticed that the garden seemed to come alive when the elleth's presence was there. The flowers seemed to bloom much wider, the ferns more fragrant, the trees much taller. The garden put them at ease, and their friendship blossomed into a romance, love growing deep in their hearts.

They met every day and walked in the garden. Elrond learned of all the plants she grew there and of the herbs she cultivated with their healing qualities. So in tune was the elleth with the plants, that Elrond found himself taking a keen interest in this art, learning of their secrets, expanding his knowledge on the healing properties of each plant.

The days faded into weeks and on their final day, they pledged their love, sharing a kiss under the moonlit garden. A delicate daisy was placed into his hand, given to him by the enchanting elleth who had captured his heart. A single daisy to symbolize her love for him, and she bade him keep it close to his heart.

And Elrond did, encasing it in a pendant he wore by his heart through the long years without her.

\----------------------  
After the fall of Eregion, Elrond saw to the construction of Imladris, planning the design of the refuge down to the smallest of details . His new home would be a refuge for the weary, a safe haven despite the turmoil that gripped the land.

The final piece of construction was also his most prized, letting it capture his fancy. A garden for Celebrian, for when she came to visit. A place that he could imagine her loving, a place that he hoped could one day be hers. He planted the trees and plants to mimic the ones of her home. He had a pond made in the center with fish in the waters, and planted the fragrant ferns to border this garden. The garden was carved down in the hillside, with stone steps carved into the rocks. He added two statues to symbolize the spirit of the valley and had them placed within the garden.

The garden was a tranquil setting of beauty for the elleth who had captured his heart, cultivating the love he cherished. The garden was her, a symbol of his love, daisies circled the heart shaped pond, reflecting the gift she had given him so many years ago.

\---------------------

She came to visit him through the years, their love growing stronger through the ages. And when the time was right, and the pains of their losses from the Last Alliance of Elves and Men had subsided, he finally brought her to the garden that he had made for her. Celebrian had never looked so beautiful to Elrond when she marveled at the garden. It was with her face awash in bliss that he finally asked for her hand in marriage. She brought him up from his knee, talking his hands in her own, letting her tears of joy fall onto the mossy ground below, before finally embracing in a kiss.

The garden rejoiced, celebrating their pledge with the birds singing their joys and the butterflies dancing. The trees swayed in the breezes, dropping their flower petals onto the embracing couple below them.

\-------------

They sat in the garden, husband and wife and now brand new parents. Their twin boys were held as if delicate petals in their arms. Celebrian's melodic voice topped the trees around the garden, and flowed above the water that pooled from the earth below the pond. Their eyes held one another, before marveling at the sight of their twins. Neither had been ever more proud, beaming at the additions of their family. Celebrian wanted no other place in all of Imladris for her family to gather.

And the garden knew this, sharing their joy back. The flowers released the sweetest of scents to soothe the sleeping babies, the trees shaded their delicate skin, and the water was clear and melodic, adding to the serenity.

The garden seemed an extension of the Lady of Imladris, it dewed when she was sad, the leaves shown and petals opened wide when she was happy, the ground fogged when her mood was dark. The garden was alive, wound within her soul.

And such care she gave it back, spending her days tending the plants, her little daughter Arwen now by her side. She taught her to love the plants, to commune with them and bind their spirits together, an ancient elvish practice she had learned from the woodland elves of her home so far away.

\------------------

The years had passed and Elrond sat alone in the garden. His heart was heavy this day. Celebrian had been gone for months, her heart fully never leaving her former woodland home. He had tried his best to keep her happy here, and it was in this little garden that she found her most happiest moments. But even the garden could not ease the longing she had for homeland.

An unease as which he had never experienced before settled in his heart, a foreboding worry that even the gentle garden could not comfort. His twin son's shouts drew Elrond racing up the garden steps, his worse fears realized when he saw his Celebrian dying. Her body was abused with the foul stench of the orcs, and Elrond felt his heart freeze up. With all of his skill he used the garden herbs she had taught him about many years ago to tend her wounds. His elvish words implored her to survive, and when stabilize she finally did, he collapsed at her side, a broken mess of hurt and sadness.

He stayed with her as long he could, ignoring the requests of those around him to see to himself. When finally he did leave her side many days later, he found himself sitting in her garden. The leaves of the trees were turning to brown, the daisies slowly withered and the peace of the garden was all but gone. This was her heart, and the plants were tied to her soul. The garden had felt her wounds, and they bleed with her hurt. Elrond had to leave this place. The garden no longer appealed to him this day.

When finally her flesh had healed many months later, Celebrian left the healing room. She shut herself away from the world, visiting not her garden, locked as she was within her mind, unable to escape the torment she had befallen.

No one could heal her heart, the wounds festered, eating at her core, leaving her as a silent shell. And her garden reflected this. The fish had perished, the water turned black, the trees lost their leaves and the plants withered to ruin. It's Lady was dying, the love she had for it was gone, and in knowing her plight, the good of the land was lost to this spot.

\----------------

Elrond knew he had to let her go to save her. His love for her could not reach her. The land and plants feel silent to her ears, the touch of her family gave could not filter to her soul. Her eyes were dead, reflected in her garden. And Elrond knew her body would follow soon. Her fading was evident in the state of her garden and he sat helpless there taking it all in.

When finally she sailed, Elrond had traveled with her to see her go. The world seemed less without her, lacking the warmness and vibrancy of their days together. He settled back into the daily life of Imladris, but the sanctuary seemed less homely to him now.

He wondered as if in a daze, restless at night, often holding onto the petrified daisy, enclosed in the pendent. A dream of such beauty could turn fast to such nightmare, a bitter reality that was his to face alone.

\--------------

A year had passed, and late in the night he sat in the garden. The trees were bent with their sorrow, the plants were skeletons, decayed with their grief. Vines covered the statues, their stone faces dimming as if to personify their gloom. The water stayed black, as an emotionless heart ripped forth him its chest.

Elrond took it all in, her garden. Celebrian would heal he knew in the undying lands. Her heart would find solace, her soul would awake. His reflection on this brought him the strength to carry on alone without her, vowing to keep watch of her garden. For he knew when the trees would finally bud again that her healing was finally working. He yearned to have her whole again, yearned that she find peace. And the garden would let him know when finally she would.


End file.
